#4. Trayce Jackson-Davis needs to play like a Big Ten POY Candidate
From missed layups to eye-popping dunks, Trayce Jackson-Davis did not play like the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year on Monday night. TJD tallied up 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 23 minutes and shot 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) from the field and 3-for-5 (60.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
I look at that stat line and think of the sophomore year TJD. Not senior TJD, who has earned himself many preseason awards and has his name in the conversation as a potential Wooden Award candidate.
The Hoosiers are not doing anything significant this year without TJD playing better than he did last season. He can’t be a guy that averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. That’s not enough for Indiana to succeed in a season with this much hype and such a competitive non-conference schedule.